Despite being in New York, Harper will shun UN podium again

OTTAWA – More than a dozen former Canadian ministers, senior diplomats and others are calling on the federal Conservatives to re-engage with, and help fix, the United Nations, even as Prime Minister Stephen Harper prepares to skip another opportunity to address the world body this month.

The prime minister’s office has confirmed Harper will be in New York next week, where world leaders will be gathering to speak during the opening of the UN’s 68th General Assembly.

However, although Harper will be in the city from Tuesday to Thursday, he will not be one of the dozens of leaders appearing at the podium.

Rather, the prime minister will attend a side event at the UN on maternal and child health, and participate in a discussion hosted by the Canadian-American Business Council and a roundtable of business leaders.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird will deliver Canada’s remarks on Sept. 30, after all world leaders who want to speak have done so, and when much of the world’s attention has turned elsewhere.

Harper also skipped last year’s UN General Assembly opening, even though he was in New York to receive an award from a religious organization called the Appeal of Conscience Foundation.

In fact, the last time Harper addressed the General Assembly was in September 2010, when Canada was in the midst of an ultimately unsuccessful bid for a two-year term on the UN Security Council.

Harper’s only other General Assembly appearance was during his first year in power, 2006.

It’s not unusual for a Canadian prime minister to skip the occasional General Assembly meeting: Brian Mulroney addressed the world body three times over his eight years in office, while Jean Chretien spoke to the UN five times in 10 years.

But Harper’s absence is seen as different because his government has had a strained relationship with the UN, which has at times been reciprocated by the world body, most tellingly when Canada failed to win the Security Council seat.

Harper’s absence is seen as different because his government has had a strained relationship with the UN

On Monday, a group of 17 former ministers, senior diplomats, academics and civil society leaders will hold press conferences across the country calling on the Conservative government to revisit its relationship with the UN.

Former foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy said there is a real need for countries such as Canada to help fix the UN as it struggles to address international crises such as the situation in Syria.

“How do you stop governments from murdering their own people? If it’s not going to be the United Nations, who’s it going to be?” Axworthy asked.

“But in terms of the broad political issues, I think the United Nations needs a reform. And we’ve seen the really disastrous consequences of not having a functioning United Nations when it came to the question of what’s happening in Syria.”

Axworthy acknowledged prime ministers don’t speak to the General Assembly every year, “but if he’s in New York, a couple of hours at the General Assembly could be very much an opportunity to make a contribution to the United Nations at a time when it needs it.”

“There is a feeling that by not engaging in a very active way at the United Nations, we’re really missing opportunities to help provide a reform agenda,” he added. “I think Canada is a respected voice. People listen to us. We have influence. And a prime ministerial statement would give it very significant weight.”